For a lot of people, Pad Thai is a prominent example of Thai food that is exported around the world. To maintain the casual mood of this post, I am not going to delve into the history of the dish; there are disputed sources.

Thipsamai, the name of the establishment, is a specialist in cooking Pad Thai. They have been around since WWII. Their original venue is currently in the old town part of Krung Thep (usually known as Bangkok by foreigners). I ate at a mall called Iconsiam because I do not like queuing for too long (10 to 15 minutes is the maximum for me).

In detail:

  • Usually, like other stir fried cousins in Sinosphere countries, chives and similar strong flavoured vegs are used.
  • Pad Thai has some varieties, but here they use fatty part of prawn from its head to blend into the rice noodle, giving out yellow or brown colour.
  • Bean curd is also included as a source of protein, a common ingredient in most Pad Thai varieties.
  • Eggs can be cooked in two ways: whisk it and pour it into the rest of the dish (like in this photo) or cook it into a thin layer to “cover” the noodle similar to Omurice in Japan.
  • River or tiger prawn is usually used in Pad Thai, making the dish a premium meal. Other streetside or shophouse places will keep the price low by using only small prawn or none at all.

Pad Thai is typically seasoned with three things: dried chilli flakes, grounded peanuts, and lime juice. This depends on one’s preference. Totally optional to season. In the picture is an unseasoned version. I added them after taking the photo.

Pad Thai is a single dish meal, so it is not meant for sharing. You can usually enjoy it on its own, but some people like to order other snacks with their Pad Thai, like Moo Satay (Grilled Pork Skewer in Satay Sauce). Thipsamai does not do this.

You might ask which utensils are used here? Thai people will go with fork and spoon, but Chinese chopsticks are also totally acceptable.

I am not really into food pairing, but for some needing one, I think iced soda-based drinks are great with Pad Thai. Or maybe a cold glass of beer.

If you visit Thailand, do give Pad Thai a try. Thanks for reading! :-)